Aussiedistiller, Home Distilling, Moonshine, Home Brew

Hi good people I’ve searched and read through this forum and couldn’t find much info on a question I m hoping to get some advice on. Im very new to this and I’m looking looking to build a 4” bubbler as that’s what looks like will be a good all rounder with reasonable run times. The only problem is it’s looking to be about 1k in parts plus a fair amount of time to build so I’m wondering.. How would a plate still such as the Neutraliser run with out plates and only the packing section and all all other parts. I’m sure it would work but I dot know how not having plates in would affect the run. The reason I’m wondering is if I made it modular I’d be able to split the build time and cost in half until I built the plate section and get on with doing some runs without building something that I might want to soon upgrade. Thoughts please and apologies if this has been discussed cheers

Thought I’d add I’d like to use it for neutrals and remove packing and RC for pot still dark spirits cheers

I don’t think a 500mm packed section would be enough to strip all the flavours out alone to get a pure neutral without doing multiple runs.
A bubbler without plates and rc/packed section would run just like a pot, and should give you good brown spirits :handgestures-thumbupleft:

If you are looking at making brown spirits as well as neutrals, you could just focus on browns first by making a 4" modular pot, which will need a PC. While your building up your stocks by using the pot still you can build the plate sections, RC and the packed section.

Unfortunately it'll take time to age your product if you start with brown spirits but you could always have some as white and put the rest on oak. I did this when I built my first bubbler because I had nothing to drink at first.

If you wanted neutral spirit to start with you'd need to have an RC and either a large packed section or a 500 mm packed section with the plates, just as you are planning on getting in the end. One option might be to build an RC and two 500 mm packed sections, the second one could be turned into a plated section later on. If you were planning on using copper or stainless mesh in your packed section then you could use scoria in this second packed section seeing as it's cheaper and (so I've read) doesn't last many runs (but apparently it can be cleaned).

Also, RC doesn't need to be removed during pot mode, just empty it of water and turn off the water supply to it.

Have fun building :handgestures-thumbupleft:

Thanks guys I was wondering about that, I think I’ll build it and try it I guess. When I buy the copper ill buy it buy the meter so there would be an option to pac what ever 4” is left arfter building the RC maybe 900mm available for packing depending if I use some of it as end plates on the condensers.

I’m liking this idea because it gets me going with a shorter build time and at a price I can justify to the missus as it’s another new hobby. I can then justify the plate section latter after a run or two so I can do dark spirits in one run!! I can post the build and results once it’s running but I won’t have much to comapair results against. I’ll post a sketch up later today for critique thanks again for taking the time to reply happy Easter everyone stay safe over the break

Make your plates and end plates from 2" pipe. It's a waste of 4". You'll have enough to make a PC and all your end plates from a meter of 2".

Try and get your 4" from scrap yards, heaps cheaper. Some members on here might have some spare you could buy off them.